Restore Unto Me The Joy Of Thy Salvation

Sun. Jan. 31/93 II Chron. 33:1-17

RESTORE UNTO ME THE JOY OF THY SALVATION

A.W. TOZER

Saying over enthusiasm is a problem of the church

Is like sending a police squad to a cemetery at midnight in case of a demonstration by the residents.

Where is the fire for holiness & righteousness?

What has happened to our passion for the Lord?

Our enthusiasm for Christ and people has left

for SUPERBOWL XXVII

Have you ever wondered about a wormy apple?

Did the worm start from the outside and bore in or bore from the inside out?

Science tells us that egg is laid in the blossom and hatches in the core and the worm eats it way out to the skin.

Sin operates the same way -- from the inside out.

- George Verwer -- Decision Mag. Oct. 90

3 reasons that SUPERBOWL XXVII has more

enthusiasm than Christ

3 reasons for worms crawling around inside God’s people.

1. Materialism

2. Self-sufficiency

3. Apathy

It just takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch.

Ec. 9:18..... one sinner destroyeth much good.

One man brought sin into the world - Adam

" " " a nation to defeat - Achan

" " " people into decay - Manasseh

" " " conquered the world - A.the Great

" " " the world into WW II - Hitler

" " --- has frustrated the US - Hussain

" " -- brings the world to end - Antichrist

Ec. 9:18..... one sinner destroyeth much good.

Lets take Manasseh for a Moment.

 v.1 - A Man that had a Godly heritage

2 Chronicles 32:32-33:1 (KJV)

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:

 v.2 - Looking around instead of looking up

2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

 v.3-7 - A progression of getting worst & worst

- v.3 - things - Materialism

3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

- v.4-5 - My way - Self-sufficiency

4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

- v.6-7 - Total uncaring disregard for God

- OCCULT - Apathy had set in

6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:

v.9 -- Ec. 9:18 ....one sinner destroyeth much good.

2 Chronicles 33:9 (KJV)

So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

v.10 - Warning comes

10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

- II Ki. 21:10-15,16

10 And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,

11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:

12 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.

13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.